This week on Geek Devotions, The Healing Place School of Ministry continues our series Gotham City Gospel. In this episode, they talk about the importance of suiting up with the Armor of God and relating it to the Batsuit!
Devotion
Ever since Batman was created, his suits have evolved like the character himself. Some of his suits were created to give him super strength, speed and the ability to fly, while others gave him cloaking abilities to be invisible to his enemies and even special gadgets and weapons such as grenades and batarangs. One thing we know for sure, he was only human. He worked out and was very skilled in martial arts, but without the suit, he was just another man that could be injured by his enemies. Let us look at just a few of these suits and their special abilities.
Some of the special armors include an armor called the Trinity Armor. It was complete with titanium electrified nets, grenades and solar lasers to add punch to his fists while fighting specific enemies. The Suit of Sorrows was forged from blades and breastplates of fallen soldiers from the Order of Purity. Batman Beyond batsuit had its own wings and limited flight capabilities, retractable claws, projectile batarangs, and a cloaking ability that made him more invisible than before!
The thing that stands out to me the most, is he was able to defeat his enemies using hard work and skill, but the suit was a vital part of him. In the same way that he and other Comic book characters have their suits…we as Christians should also “gear up!” In Ephesians 6, Paul gives us the armor of God and the purpose of each piece of armor. You wouldn’t wake up and walk out the door without being completely dressed, and this is no different. God wants you to be prepared for what’s ahead, which means putting on the armor of God.
10-12 And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.
13-18 Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.
~Ephesians 6:10-18 (The Message – MSG – Paraphrase)
Girding our waist is basically putting on your belt! You wear a belt with your pants to hold them up, but it is a key part of the armor, as it has to go on first to make everything else work properly. You can’t have a sword held up without some kind of support. So the first thing Paul tells us is to gird ourselves with the truth. You have to study the Word and know the truth. God cannot lie, so every word of the Bible is vital. God gave us the Bible as an instruction manual. Paul then tells us to put on the breastplate of righteousness. The definition of righteousness means “the quality of being morally right or justifiable.” We need to try to live our lives as morally correct as possible. We are human and make mistakes, but we need to have a repentant heart and strive not to make mistakes. Next, our feet must be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. This means a thing made ready, preparedness, having the state of mind that is ready for the battle to come.
Next comes the shield of faith. The shield is a vital part of the armor as it would protect soldiers from sword blows, arrows, punches and more. It was also used to push back the enemy. In biblical times shields were made of wood, which would keep arrows from penetrating but would also keep fiery arrows from catching fire when the shield was wet. Speaking about the Sheild of Faith, the Bible specifically says that it helps you to extinguish all the flaming darts from the evil one.
The helmet of salvation is next. As we know, any helmet protects the head from damage & injury, but in the armor of God, it also protects the mind. Through this helmet of salvation, we can “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2Corin 10:5) We can do this by renewing our mind, rejecting doubts that arise from circumstances, keeping an eternal perspective, remembering the victory is already ours, finding hope in God. As we wear the helmet of salvation every day, our minds become more insulated against the suggestions, desires, and traps the enemy lays for us. We choose to guard our minds against the excessive worldly influence and instead think on things that honor Christ.
The sword is both an offensive and defensive weapon used by soldiers or warriors. In this case, it is a weapon belonging to the Holy Spirit. Swords were used to protecting oneself from harm or to attack the enemy to overcome or kill him. In both cases, it was necessary for a soldier to get rigid training on the proper use of the sword to get maximum protection. All Christian soldiers need the same rigid training to know how to properly handle the Sword of the Spirit, “which is the word of God.” The sword that Paul refers to here is the Holy Scriptures.
And finally, prayer!! As a sword is a weapon, so is prayer. Just like wielding a sword takes practice, you MUST read your word and pray daily as it is your practice for the battles to come. Prayer is given the most prominent place and the most space in Paul’s description of a fully armed Christian soldier. The importance of prayer is seen in vs 18, with the repeated emphasis on ALL, ALL prayer and supplication with ALL perseverance for ALL the saints. To pray in the spirit means to pray with the guidance and assistance of the Holy Spirit. While continuing to stand firm, a believer is also to pray and keep alert.
Call to Action
We all need help walking thru this life. God gives us the tools in the word to do that and to do it successfully. I challenge you to study Ephesians 6 10-18. Really search for the definitions of the pieces of armor, even further than we have discussed here, but also find out how you can use this armor in your daily walk with the Lord. Be sure to leave comments or prayer requests in the comment section below. We want to stand in agreement with you and be able to prayer for you or answer any questions that you may have.
Prayer
Dear Lord, help us to remember to put on the full armor that you have given us to protect us from the enemy. Let us not forget that the battle is already won, the enemy is already defeated, and that you have provided us with everything that we need to live this life, impacting the people we come into contact with